Branches Of A Tree
by CorruptCreature
Summary: Something has been unleashed in Katara what happens now?What happens when Toph reveals her feelings for Sokka...does he love her? Mostly Tokka , mild Kataang
1. No Way!

Branches Of A Tree

Chapter 1

No Way!!!

It was early morning according to the sun's position on the horizon. Aang along with Katara and Toph were the first ones up packing up camp while Sokka just snored to no end.

"Hey, wake up snoozles we got to move if we don't want anyone to following us." Toph said in a firm yet playful tone. Sokka just rolled over onto his side and mumbled something quietly about kissing her. At this Toph blushed, Katara ignored them both with a glare at her sleeping brother.

"SOKKA!" Katara yelled at him irritably.

"Toph!" Sokka yelled as he sat up straight quick as a gopher-rabbit with wide eyes and boomerang out ready for a fight, he then noticed Toph who was now blushing red as a tomato.

"Oh…hi Toph." Sokka said awkwardly.

"Hi Sokka." Toph replied dreamily.

"Get up, we need to pack and get going." Katara told Sokka bitterly.

"Why can't anyone just let me sleep peacefully?" Sokka whined.

"You were the one who was up all night being our watchman for the camp." She told him angrily.

"Who better than me to do it, you?" He spat with angry sarcasm.

"How about me?" Aang chimed in cheerfully.

"I am so sick of your sexism and your arrogant ego!" Katara yelled with clenched fists.

"No no, you got it wrong Katara." Sokka began timidly.

"Oh do I!" She yelled angrily. Just as she took a step over to where Sokka was standing a pillar of earth shot up through the ground at least twenty feet behind the group.

Aang and Toph were the only two that seemed to notice the giant earthen structure.

"Uhhh, Katara?" Aang asked nervously trying to get the young girl's attention.

"Not now Aang!" the waterbender fumed as she turned back to face Sokka.

"And another thing, what is it with you and trust, why is it that everyone we meet has to be working with the Fire Nation?" Katara began again at her brother.

"Katara calm down I-." Sokka said defensively.

"CALM DOWN, where do you get the idea that you can tell me to calm down?" Katara then lost complete control and went to punch her brother, just as did a flame shot outward from her fist, the flame barley missing Sokka's cheek.

"Now look what you made me do, I fire…oh my god." Katara suddenly got quiet and just stared down at her hands in horror.

"Duuude" Toph and Aang said in awe simultaneously.

"Whoa…Katara you…can firebend?" Sokka said in disbelief with his mouth hanging open.

"She can apparently can earthbend as well." Toph said pointing behind her to the earthen pillar. Sokka's eyes went as wide as dinner plates as he put two and two together.

"Aang come here a minute." Katara said quietly. Aang went over to where Katara was standing.

"Aang show me the most basic airbending move you know." Katara said plainly.

"Ok." Aang replied plainly. Aang then quickly extended an open palm in front of his body, creating a sharp gust of wind for as long as he held his palm outward.

"Alright I think I got." Suddenly as Katara began to extend her palm, Aang's eyes went wide with fright.

"Katara wait y-!" Aang shouted just as Katara went flying at least forty feet straight up in the air screaming.

Aang rushed into the air after her on his glider, quickly caught her and glided gently to the ground to where Sokka was even more dumbfounded and wide eyed.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Sokka whined with desperation.

"To put it simply, Katara can bend all four elements." Aang said startled by his own words.

"I think we need Avatar Roku for an explanation." Aang said looking at her plainly.


	2. The Spirit World

Chapter 2

The Spirit World

It was three hours later, after much debate, Aang decided Katara and he try and go to the spirit world while they set up the next camp inside an earthbended cavern (courtesy of Aang and Toph) in the ground of a dense forest. Once inside, Aang firebended a pile of wood starting up a fire. Not for warmth, but mostly for light inside the dark, hollowed out cavern.

"Aang, are you sure this is the only way for us both to speak with Roku?" Katara shifted uncomfortably.

"Well since Roku's Temple was destroyed…that would've been the other option." Aang said with a comforting laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

"If your having second thoughts Katara-." Aang began again timidly.

"No…it's just… will you protect me Aang?" Katara asked tenderly.

Aang then put a hand on her cheek and she instantly felt a soft warmth radiate from it. "You mean more to me than you could possibly imagine." Aang said with love in his eyes as he began to feel lost in hers. They both just stared into each other's eyes, feeling nothing except the love between them.

"So were just supposed to sit in a hole while you two go off to the spirit world?" Sokka asked aimlessly.

His question n snapped both Aang and Katara out of their trances and back to the present moment.

"uh…wha…yeah that's the plan." Aang said fumbling for words.

"Just the two of us?" Toph asked Katara eagerly with a wide grin.

"Yeah…So?" Katara asked suspiciously with an eyebrow raised.

"No reason." Toph said in a quick and dismissive manner.

"You two be good while we're gone." Aang sing-songed playfully, knowing full well what Toph was up to, even though everyone else seemed oblivious.

Aang then sat cross-legged, put his fists together in his lap, and started breathing slowly, so slowly that a complete breath took about a minute.

Katara sat next to him and did the same until the two were completely synchronized. All at once Aang's eyes and Tattoos started glowing, and he laid his hand slowly on Katara's arm.

Katara's eyes began to glow white like Aang's. "They'll be fine as long as we don't touch them." Sokka said seriously.

(Meanwhile in the spirit world)

Aang was so used to going to the spirit world that the effects of first time trips had worn off…Katara wasn't so lucky. "Aang why am I blue, and why do I feel all light headed?" Katara asked a little annoyed.

"That's what happens when you travel here." Aang replied plainly.

"Oh…I forgot to tell you, we can't bend here either." Aang said nervously.

"What…this keeps getting better and better." Katara said bleakly.

"Avatar Roku are you here?" Aang called out. Roku then appeared before Katara and Aang who both bowed in respect.

"Katara." Roku said plainly. "Avatar Roku we need your help." Aang said calmly.

"I know why you have come Aang." Roku said smiling at Katara.

"Katara you have a very rare and extraordinary gift, you have become through your close bond with Aang, an extension of his own life force, effectively become the next Avatar in the cycle even though Aang still lives." Roku explained seriously.

"I don't understand?" Katara said innocently.

"Think about it like a tree Katara, if I'm the tree then your like a branch." Aang said cheerily.

"If that's true then why haven't I ever entered the avatar state, I'm sure I was angry enough at Master Paku or Sokka to go all glowy for at least a minute?" Katara said with puzzlement.

"Even though you are able to fully master all four elements the avatar state is reserved only for the true avatar, when Aang dies whether by time or in battle you will then inherit the avatar's full power, including the avatar state, and access to the spirit world without Aang's help." Roku said plainly.

"What I found interesting Roku, is that she could already firebend with a excellent degree of control." Roku just looked at her plainly.

"Yes Aang, it is a trademark of Katara being a branch of yourself, since you have already mastered firebending, she inherently has some degree of control herself." Roku explained.

"You should have seen her airbend though, she flew like thirty feet in the air!" Aang said with an excited laugh.

"Yes that happened to me the first time I airbended as well." Roku said with a hearty laugh.

"I was always curious though Roku?" Aang asked incredulously.

"Yes Aang?" Roku replied attentively.

"Who was your airbending teacher?" Aang said plainly.

"Monk Gyatso." Roku smiled.

"Wow…small world." Aang said with a laugh.

"Indeed it is." Roku said seriously.

"Aang your friend Toph will need to teach Katara earthbending, you will teach her firebending, and finally airbending, keeping true to the cycle." Roku said with caution in his voice.

"Thank you Avatar Roku for your help." Katara said as she and Aang bowed in respect to Roku who then bowed in return.

(Meanwhile back in the cavern)

Sokka came over to Toph with a blanket who was sitting in front of the small fire with her knees huddled against her chest. "You looked cold." Sokka said quietly, wrapping her shoulders in the blanket.

"Sokka I want to tell you something." Toph began quietly.

"Yeah me too, thing is I'm afraid of what it could mean if I do." Sokka said nervously.

"I think I love you Toph." Sokka said dreamily. "Wow…you too huh?" Toph said in sweet disbelief.

"What…you-." Sokka began again but was interrupted, by Toph kissing him, and by Katara and Aang come back from the spirit world to face this unexpected surprise.

"Oh my god." Katara said as her and Aang's eyes went as wide as dinner plates.

"Wow…this is seriously awkward." Aang said shifting uncomfortably. Toph quickly withdrew from Sokka, and moved away from him.

"Shut up twinkle toes." Toph laughed blushing and smiling at Sokka.

"Sokka can I talk to you…alone." Katara said bitterly.


	3. Love Over Morals

Chapter 3

Love Over Morals

(Two minutes later above ground)

"What do you think your doing?" Katara asked heatedly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Sokka stated innocently.

"Really…so why was Toph kissing you?" Katara said confidently crossing your arms.

"Oh that…I…I love her, and apparently she loves me too." Sokka said timidly looking at the ground.

"ARE YOU INSANE, she's only twelve!" Katara screamed.

"I know but I don't know what to do, I have to choose between my morality and my love for her." Sokka said with a shaky voice.

"What do you feel you need to do?" Katara asked sighing, her voice now calm and sympathetic.

"I wanna show her she can be loved…that everyone deserves to be loved." Sokka said with a blissful look in his eyes.

"Then show her." Katara said blankly. "You're okay with this?" Sokka said wide-eyed.

"I know there's nothing I can do or say to change your mind." Katara said calmly.

"So uh…what happened with Roku and Aang?" Sokka asked with concern.

"Well I'm a branch of the avatar, able to master all the elements, and when Aang dies I'm able to enter the avatar state, since I'm technically the next avatar in the cycle because of Aang's closeness with me." Katara said plainly.

"You're kidding right?" Sokka said blankly in disbelief.

"No." Katara said flatly.

"Wow…I'm related to the avatar." Sokka said daydreaming with a stupid grin.

"Uh Sokka?" Katara said with an eyebrow raised.

"My sister is the next avatar…cool." Sokka mused to himself.

"SOKKA!" Katara yelled with annoyance snapping her brother back to reality.

"What, who?" Sokka then noticed Katara standing to his side looking very annoyed.

"Oh…hey Katara." Sokka said blushing with embarrassment.

"You're really weird, has anyone ever told you that?" Katara said coldly.

"Are you implying something?" Sokka said suspiciously.

"You're an idiot." Katara said with a laugh.

"I see." Sokka said plainly.

(Meanwhile in the cavern)

"Is it wrong for me to feel this way for him?" Toph asked guiltily.

"No… in fact you deserve him, if you truly feel this way about him then let nothing stand in your way." Aang told her sympathetically.

"Yeah why not, might be fun." Toph said slyly with an evil grin.

"Anyway, what happened with Katara and this Roku guy?" Toph asked inquisitively.

"Well Katara is a branch of the avatar, able to master all the elements, and when I die She's able to enter the avatar state and takes on the full responsibilities as the next avatar in the cycle." Aang said nervously.

"How?" Toph said bluntly.

"Katara and I have grown so close over the course of a few months that…we connected on a spiritual and physiological level and it sort of just happened." Aang replied with a warm smile.

"Wow… as if one avatar wasn't enough trouble." Toph laughed jokingly.


	4. Mud

Chapter 4

Mud

In the morning, just around sunrise the group decided that Katara was ready for earthbending. Toph decided a nearby clearing in the forest where there was nothing but earth, with no trees or grass for at least a quarter of a mile in every direction would be perfect for training both Aang and Katara.

"Wow I never thought I would be teaching a naturally born waterbender how to earthbend." Toph said with distain in her voice.

"I need to learn as early as I can Toph." Katara said plainly.

"Technically I'm a waterbender too Toph, and I handle earthbending fine." Aang replied firmly.

"This is different…you're the Avatar, so part of you is made for earthbending, but Sugar Queen here is made for waterbending." Toph said sarcastically.

"What so you're saying the only earthbending I'm good for is mud!" Katara spat angrily.

"That's correct." Toph said laughing in her face.

"Since you're the next Avatar though, I suppose I can give you some pointers." Toph said annoyed.

"I never knew you could be such a little-" Katara began with an angry and quiet tone but was cut off.

"Whoa! Ok Katara I think we might need to be a little bit nicer to Toph." Aang said hastily.

"Why, she's a bully and a pushover." Katara said coldly glaring at Toph.

"I'll show you who's a pushover!" Toph yelled shooting a boulder directly at the young waterbender.

Aang then jumped between the pillar and rock and batted it away like a fly with his airbending.

"Toph stop this now, what's your problem!" Toph then went straight and stiff as a wooden board, glaring at Aang.

"How would you feel if you were forced to get along with someone who was your polar opposite, and probably way prettier than you" Toph said in a slow, menacing voice pointing at Katara.

"Excuse me?" Katara said bluntly. Just then Toph hit her fist on the ground and knocked Katara off her feet.

"Quiet Sugar Queen…I'm talking." Toph said firmly.

"You know what, I think you're jealous." Katara said confidently with a smirk as she got back to her feet.

"Well…mystery solved Sugar Queen." Toph said sarcastically.

"What do you have to be jealous about?" Katara said innocently.

"Your kidding right?" Toph said with an eyebrow raised. Katara shook her head 'no'.

"You're the girlfriend of the freakin' Avatar!" Toph yelled with annoyance.

"Oh…is that it?" Katara said with sympathetic concern, jumping down from the pillar.

"C'mon I'll teach you the first earthbending technique, Aang go practice the quicksand form." Toph said changing the subject quickly. Katara surrendered to the girl's instruction and dropped into an earthbending stance.

Toph hit the solid ground with her foot with her toes pointing upward, which sent a piece of rock straight into the air at an arc landing a few feet away.

"Now you try." Katara hit the ground the same way and a rock just hovered two feet above the ground for three seconds and hit the ground with a quiet thud.

This went on for most of the day, with Toph teaching both Aang and Katara their respective level of earthbending. When night came however, Toph was tired, yet she felt she wanted some company. Sokka was outside with Katara and Aang sharpening his boomerang, when he saw her coming to sit with him, Aang and Katara just smiled at him and went off to practice some earthbending.

'Dude she's twelve.' Sokka's mind told him.

"I know it's wrong…but I can't help the way I feel." Sokka said guiltily as Toph sat beside him rested her head against his shoulder.

"Me neither." Toph said smiling.

"For me though, I have to think of what people will think of me." Sokka began softly.

"Why do you even care?" Toph said irritably.

"For you people will think it's just a silly crush." Sokka said laughing.

"You didn't answer my question, why do you care?" Toph yelled.

"Toph please." Sokka pleaded.

"No, you can't know what I feel!" Toph screamed.

"You know what you're right." Sokka then leaned in and kissed her with so much feeling and passion it didn't seem real, like something out of a dream.

Even if it was though, both were fully lost in the moment, each second felt like a lifetime. It was like nothing was wrong and that nothing can ever be wrong ever again as long as the kiss lasted.

By the time Aang and Katara had come back from training, Sokka and Toph had fallen asleep by the now smothered campfire in each other's arms.


	5. Beauty Of The Dangerous

Chapter 5

The Beauty Of The Dangerous

"Katara." Aang said sweetly to a sleeping Katara as the morning sun began to rise.

The young girl stirred at the sound of his voice. "Aang, what is it?" Katara asked groggily.

"Come on… there's something I think you need to see." Aang said helping Katara to her feet.

Aang had led her to the edge of a high cliff, where the sunrise of the day could easily be seen. "Why did you bring me out here?" Katara questioned the airbender impatiently.

"Look." Aang said as he gazed at the orange and yellow horizon. "Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?" Aang continued with a tear in his eye.

Katara just looked at him with awe. 'How could one person have so much appreciation for so many things?' She wondered to herself.

"Most people think fire is always a destructive killer, but it can be so beautiful at the same time, that warmth that you get for a certain person can be represented as the fire of the heart…passion." Aang told her softly.

"I never thought of fire that way, it's just so…incredible." Katara said lovingly.

"That is your first lesson in firebending." Aang began seriously. "To know the beauty of it." Aang then just stared into her eyes as she thought about what he had just said. Aang then took a deep breath and gently kissed her.

Aang then pulled away after about a minute.

"Aang I…I love you." Katara said dreamily with a smile.

"Look at your hand." Aang said pointing to her open palm, which held a small fireball.

"Wow…it's warm, but it doesn't burn." Katara said giggling and tossing the small orange flame between her hands.

"Fire is the most difficult to master among the bending disciplines so have fun with it while you can." Aang said calmly.

"Ok what's first on the agenda for my training?" Katara asked eagerly with wide eyes. Aang then started laughing to himself.

"What's so funny?" Katara said playfully.

"I was the same way when I first learned firebending." Aang said smiling at her with a sense of seriousness in his eyes. "Try this." Aang said as he lifted his hands to the points where they were parallel with his shoulders. He then clapped his hands together and an arc of flame encircled him as he did so.

"Now that was cool!" Katara said excitedly. She then began the same maneuver, which resulted in only a puff of grey smoke.

"Put a certain emotion in the move, that's how fire is, it's very emotional." Aang said tentatively looking at her bending form.

"Stand back." Katara said in a quiet tone. Aang obeyed and went behind a tree far enough to be out of danger, but close enough so that he could watch her.

She then closed her eyes and thought of her love for Aang, how he would do anything for her, how he looked at her and smiled meekly. Katara began to feel the purity of the love for the airbender, knowing he would protect her no matter what, and a small smile spread across her face. She then clapped her hands together like before and a flame shot out from her hands creating an arc of flame.

"Aang, I did it!" Katara said punching a fist into the air directly above her, letting out a short stream of fire.

She then put her hand down quickly and blushed with embarrassment. "Sorry." Katara said apologetically.

Aang then got extremely jealous. "You think that's impressive…watch this."

Aang said bitterly as his arrows and eyes began to glow as he entered the avatar state. His hands then swirled around in huge circles creating a tornado of fire about five feet in diameter.

Aang then turned back to normal and turned to face Katara. "No fair you used the Avatar State." Katara laughed as she punched his arm jokingly.

"You can't compete with me, I'm the Avatar." Aang laughed with a smirk.

"Boys." Katara said sarcastically rolling her eyes.

For the rest of the day, Aang taught her mostly how to breath, and then taught her how to consciously control the fire and make different shapes and basic attacks in firebending.

Aang then sat down under the cover of a nearby tree while Katara continued to practice random firebending moves.

"Hey Katara, come and take a break." Aang said sympathetically gesturing for her to sit next to him. She then turned and sat down at his side.

"I think when you master the elements in the next few monthsor so, I wanna test you." Aang began seriously.

"Well…can I ask how you want to test me Aang?" Katara said with a warm smile.

"You sure can." Aang said playfully. The two then stared at each other with warm loving smiles. Knowing they had all the time in world to spend together.

"Well I'm asking." she laughed slightly annoyed.

"Well alright then…I think the two of us should have a duel when your ready… using everything you've learned." Aang said getting serious again with his eyes looking straight ahead.

Katara thought this over "Even fire?" She asked with wide and excited eyes.

"Even fire…in fact let's have a quick Agni Kai before the sun goes down." He replied excitedly.

"What Aang I'm not ready." Katara protested fearfully.

"That's not the attitude of a firebender, get up and fight!" Aang yelled.

Suddenly Katara realized that this was not a sweet loving airbender Aang talking to her, this was Aang the cold and ruthless firebender.

"Ok fine, since your going to be a total jerk, someone needs to teach you some manners." Katara said with an angry glare.

Just then Sokka and Toph burst through the trees and brush with worried looks on their faces. "What's going on, we heard yelling."

"Two words, Agni Kai." Aang said menacingly.

Sokka and Toph then sat down as quickly as humanly possible to watch the impending battle between Aang and Katara. Aang then punched straight at Katara three times in rapid succession, creating three fireballs. Katara then stepped to the side to avoid two and countered the last ball with her own, which resulted in a small explosion of smoke and ash.

"Yeah, Go Aang." Sokka cheered with frantic excitement.

"Is that all you've got, I've seen Sokka do better!" Aang taunted as he dodged a wave of flame inches from his face.

"Hey!" Sokka yelled from the sidelines.

"I'll show you!" Katara yelled as she did a quick roundhouse kick creating an arc of flame at his torso knocking Aang off balance, resulting in him having to take a few steps back but before he could she then took the opportunity to create a wave of flame at his feet knocking him to the ground on his back.

Katara then walked slowly over to where he laid and leered at him putting her fist directly in front of his face, as she stood over him, ready to deliver the final blow.

"Good…you learn quick." Aang said calmly as he stood up.

Katara's face and expression softened as she realized the real Aang returned to her, the Aang she fell in love with.

"I learned from the best." Katara laughed as she put her arm around his shoulder.

"And don't you forget it." Aang laughed jokingly.

Katara then leaned in and kissed him quickly.

"Thanks for doing this." She whispered sweetly.

"It's all for you." Aang replied softly before returning the kiss. As the passion of the fire between them grew as they kissed, Aang found his hands begin to wander. Through her hair, then to her face feeling the warm softness of her skin.

"Aang if you going to make out with my sister at least do it while I'm not around." Sokka said with disgust.

"Now that's an idea!" Katara said with a wicked smile looking at Sokka.

Seeing the look on Katara's face, he immediately regretted what he had said.

Katara began to blush as Aang put an arm around Katara's waist as the four friends walked back to camp.

"Aang, don't even think about it." Sokka warned him bitterly.


	6. Currents

Chapter 6

Currents

It was early in the morning; Aang had gotten up just as Sokka had. The girls were still asleep. "Aang go wake up Katara." Sokka said quietly pointing to the blue sleeping bag that contained the sleeping girl.

Aang then walked quietly over to the sleeping girl and shook her gently.

She then rolled over mumbling incoherently in her sleep.

"Katara." Aang whispered softly in her ear.

Katara rolled over again, now facing Aang she slowly opened her eyes and smiled when she saw him. "I had a dream about us." Katara said sweetly, before giving Aang a quick kiss.

"What happened?" Aang asked blushing.

"Well…we were about ten years older…" Katara hesitated for a moment, and looked at him with sweet loving eyes. "We had a daughter and a son." Katara said calmly.

Just then Sokka came running over to Aang and Katara with a frightened yet serious look. "We have to get out of here now, I just spotted Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee just hiking up this way!" Sokka yelled in a worried tone.

Just then Toph's earth tent retracted back into the ground and she jumped to her feet. "Well what are we standing around talking for?" Toph asked firmly running over to Appa and running up his tail to the saddle.

The other three followed suit carrying what they could with them.

When everyone had gotten situated Aang climbed on Appa's head and took hold of the reins.

"Appa yip yip!" Aang commanded calmly. The bison then took flight with a giant roar.

(Meanwhile on the ground)

"Look Azula, the bison!" Ty Lee pointed excitedly to the flying bison in sky.

"Finally, the Avatar won't escape me again." Azula said menacingly as she shot three blue fireballs from her fists in rapid succession, which were blocked by a small shield of air from Aang and his staff.

After about two hours of flying with no sign of Azula's ship Sokka asked. "Katara needs to learn airbending but we also need a place to camp, does anyone have any ideas?"

"I always thought you were the 'amazing idea guy'?" Katara asked smirking.

"How about the Southern Air Temple." Aang asked quietly.

At this everyone looked at him with a surprised expression.

"Think about it, it's almost inaccessible to anyone so it's perfect for spending a camp for a few days, plus it's the perfect place for Katara to learn airbending." Aang explained with excited eyes.

"Aang are you sure?" Katara said in a concerned tone.

"What do you mean?" Aang asked her innocently.

"It's just…I can only imagine the painful memories and emotions that something like that…" Katara began in a shaky voice, but trailed off unable to finish her sentence.

Suddenly Aang's face flushed a pale gray color as he looked into her eyes full of the same pain that he felt when they first went back there, he could feel the pain, the sympathy she felt for him.

"I try not to think about it…besides I have to put my emotions second to my duties, and right now my duty is to protect my friends and teach you airbending." Aang said in an empty, emotionless tone.

"As long as your sure." Katara said quietly.

It was sunset when the group finally arrived at the air temple, as the group started to set up camp Katara got a chill down her spine, like someone was watching them.

"Any of you sense that?" Katara said with a frightened tone of voice.

"It's ok Katara it's just the monks watching over you, they sense you." Aang said happily.

"What do you say after we finish setting up camp I give you the grand tour, maybe you'll even get more in touch with your inner airbender?" Aang asked Katara thoughtfully.

"Sounds fun." Katara said blushing slightly.

So after finding the various sleeping quarters on the third level of the temple, Sokka took to sleeping with Toph curled innocently in his arms. While Katara and Aang went off to the upper levels of the temple and he could've written a book with all he told her, they soon came upon the council chamber where Aang was first told he was the Avatar inside lined up in a row on the wall were statues of five airbenders sitting cross-legged.

Katara recognized one of them to be Monk Gyatso, but the other four were unfamiliar. "I know that's Gyatso, but who are the others Aang?"

"These are the five council members of the temple. Monk Dao, Monk Gyatso, Monk Yur, Monk Tulan, and Monk Kinsu." Aang said pointing to each statue as he said the name.

(A/N: I made up the names for the other four council members)

"Kinsu was supposedly the greatest airbender in history, rivaling even the avatar state's airbending skill and power, he was so fast he could even run across water." Aang said with the utmost respect in his voice.

"That's incredible." Katara said looking at Kinsu's statue with awe.

All of a sudden five blue colored spirits of the monks appeared from the statues standing inches away from the two kids. Who then dropped to their knees in respect.

"Rise young Avatar, why have you brought these outsiders to the temple?" Monk Kinsu began firmly.

"Surely you have sensed it, she has become a link in the Avatar cycle."

Aang began timidly.

"Yes we have but that is beside the point, the boy and his sister are water tribe and the short one is an earthbender!" Monk Yur spat angrily.

"Please forgive me, I meant no disrespect." Aang's voice was now shaky, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Aang has done as we have asked, his duty as the avatar has ended since he defeated the Fire Lord and mastered the elements, now his duty is to train the girl." Gyatso began calmly.

"Very well, your friends are welcome in the temple." Monk Kinsu sighed with defeat.

"I must ask you something before you go, if I hadn't run away would I have been able to make a difference?" Aang asked looking at Gyatso with a sullen and sad look.

"No Aang, your fate would have been the same as ours." Gyatso said with a comforting smile.

"Good bye Aang, we will meet again." Gyatso said as his spirit and the others faded back into the statues.

After the spirits of the council were gone Aang bowed to the statues showing respect once again. "Thank You." Aang said smiling as him and Katara left the council chamber.

Half and hour had gone by and the two had finally arrived in the courtyard where Aang had played with the other airbender children.

"Wow…so there were twenty thousand airbenders between the four temples."

Katara mused with amazement.

"Yeah, south, north, east and west…you want to start airbending?" Aang said with a warm smile.

"This is so exciting, I mean seriously I always saw you airbend and wished I could be an airbender do I get a staff!" Katara yelled jumping up and down excitedly with wide eyes in anticipation.

"You certainly have the enthusiasm of an airbender, and yes I'll make you your own staff." Aang laughed.

"You would do that for me?" Katara sighed dreamily wrapping him in a hug.

"Katara…you…crushing me." Aang gasped for breath as Katara squeezed him harder in the hug.

She then realized this and let him go almost immediately. "Sorry…it's just so exciting... learning how to bend air has always been a dream of mine, it's just so free and graceful." Katara said softly in an almost sad and depressed voice.

"Luckily for you it's also the easiest element to master, all it really is just circular movement with your hands and feet, and agility." Aang said with a soft smile that seemed to say 'your beautiful'.

"I've been practicing, look!" Katara said as she bended some air and made an air scooter, she tried to get on, the air bubble slip out from under her and she fell flat on her back.

"Did I mention that I'm not to good at balancing?" Katara said with a laugh.

"Yeah it takes practice, but once you get it it's pretty easy." Aang said as he helped Katara to her feet.

They practiced the basic forms all day, and by the time night came around and the moon was high in the sky Katara had mastered airbending. Katara had become so skilled with the air scooter that she beat him in a race back to Sokka's room in the temple.

"Sokka…Sokka!" Katara called excitedly, knocking on his door frantically.

The door slowly creaked open to reveal Toph in her usual clothes with a mess of scruffy hair.

"I…oh…Toph where's Sokka?" Katara asked awkwardly.

"He's here." Toph said with a smirk looking back to the sleeping teen warrior.

"Sokka." Katara said firmly loud enough so he could hear her.

Sokka's eyes snapped open and, seeing his sister, sat up in bed quickly.

"I know what your thinking, nothing happened…she just slept in my arms."

Sokka said defensively with a slight blush looking in Toph's direction.

"So where have you and twinkle toes been all day?" Toph asked quickly.

"I mastered airbending!" Katara said excitedly jumping up and down.

"In one day?" Sokka said sarcastically.

"Yeah it's actually a really simple bending art to master, look!" Katara beamed as she pushed Sokka back against a wall with a gust of air.

"Well isn't that just fabulous." Sokka said with bitter sarcasm.


	7. Duel Of The Avatars

Chapter 7

Duel Of The Avatars

Eight months later Katara finally had mastered the four elements to the best of her ability. It was the morning of Aang and Katara's duel, the air was thick with anticipation. Aang got up early to practice fire and water, which he found to be the ultimate defense and offence respectively, and in his opinion were the keys in winning any fight.

While Katara thought it best to practice earth and fire, since for her at least, they were the most difficult to master and required fierce concentration for even the most basic moves.

Two hours later Toph and Sokka were sitting on the sidelines on a fallen tree. While the two avatars were standing face-to-face, when the sun was highest in the sky, they had decided to duel near a small river to give each enough water for waterbending. "No holding back this time Aang." Katara said playfully as they bowed to each other in respect.

"I promise." Aang replied. They then dropped into their battle stances as Toph stamped her foot on the ground, signaling the start of the duel.

Katara and Aang just stood there for a moment and glared at each other, and then Aang jumped suddenly ten feet at Katara, who then knocked Aang out of the sky with a wave of water. As Aang lay there, Katara took the opportunity to summon to identical plates of earth on either side of him.

The two plates then pressed together with Aang in between them, crushing the small boy slowly.

Aang summoned a gust of air beneath him and he shot once more into the air and then quickly hit the ground, which in turn summoned a shock wave of fire at waist height. Katara then summoned an earthen shield to block the incoming heat wave.

(A/N: No pun intended)

"Looks like your losing your touch arrow head." Katara taunted.

She then shot five boulders at Aang, who just airbended them back at her.

Katara then just kicked each one aside (A/N: Like Azula, from The Drill)

and then hit Aang with a wave of water and froze it quickly encasing everything except his head in a very thick sheet of ice.

"Admit it, your defeated." Katara smirked playfully.

Aang then heated up his entire body and melted the ice, he then took a firebending stance. "I'm just getting warmed up." Aang said with confidence. He then shot seven fireballs at her along with the help of a gust of air to make them have more speed.

Katara water whipped each one away, she then summoned another wave of water and froze it, including his head, she then encapsulated his in a suit of earth and earthbended his feet in place. Toph then counted Aang out.

"One…two…three…four…five, winner by encapsulation Katara!" Toph declared proudly. Sokka ran over to his sister and hugged her gently.

"That was some of the coolest bending I've ever seen!" Sokka yelled proudly. Katara just took down both the earth and ice capsules, Aang just dropped to his knees and started laughing. Everyone then turned and stared at the giggling young boy.

"I have to admit…I never did doubt you…not for a second." Aang said to Katara smiling sweetly at her.

"Thank you Sifu Aang you have taught me much." Katara said bowing to him with the utmost respect, he then bowed in return.

"Now we really are team Avatar!" Sokka yelled with excitement.

"Sokka that Team Avatar stuff is really getting old." Katara said with a laugh. Everyone then started laughing, except for Sokka who just crossed his arms and pouted.

(End)


End file.
